Interpretive Summary: This paper describes the development of soft durum wheat lines obtained through non-GMO chromosome translocation from a soft bread wheat variety. The presence and expression of puroindolines, the genes that control hardness and softness in wheat, were confirmed at a molecular level in backcrosses with a commercial wheat variety. The project's goal was to obtain durum wheat lines with new end-use qualities and higher efficiencies in technological processing. In addition, expression of puroindolines may display associated plant health benefits due to their strong antimicrobial properties.

Technical Abstract:
Soft durum wheat lines were obtained through chromosome arm 5DS translocation events from a soft bread wheat. The presence and expression of puroindolines, the product of the hardness locus (Ha) were confirmed at a molecular level in the subsequent backcrosses with a commercial variety. We aim to obtain durum wheat lines with new end-product qualities and higher efficiencies in the technological processing. In addition, expression of puroindolines may display associated plant health benefits, as puroindolines have strong antimicrobial in vitro properties.